Preparations are underway for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15th in Alaska. However, reports have emerged concerning China’s recent actions. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, China has deployed five research vessels simultaneously to the Arctic region near Alaska. The Coast Guard is monitoring these activities and has stated its readiness to respond to any actions by opposing forces in Alaskan or U.S. Arctic waters. Newsweek attempted to contact the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment on the situation. China considers itself a nation “near the Arctic” and asserts a significant role in the area. Its presence has been increasing in recent years, especially with the deployment of three research vessels last year. The United States views this growing Chinese presence and its relationship with Russia with concern, prompting the U.S. military to call for increased military strength and surveillance in the Arctic, as well as collaborative efforts with allied nations. The Newsweek map illustrated the path of the Chinese vessels, which traveled from China’s coast to the waters near Alaska. Simultaneously, two U.S. and one Canadian icebreaker have been operating in the area since late July. On August 5th and 6th, the U.S. Coast Guard observed and monitored two Chinese research vessels, the Ji Di and Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di, in the Bering Sea and the Bering Strait, which lies between Russia and Alaska. Another Chinese vessel, the Xue Long 2, was spotted on July 25th, over 230 miles off the Alaskan coast, and remained there as of August 6th.
